Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with shops

Granada Spain

frizelli — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 10:50:50 -0800

I am planning a first trip to Grenada Spain in May, and wonder about recommendations for off- the- beaten- track restaurants, unique cafes, jazz bars etc. Also, any info on fiber and wool shops would be most helpful. Feel free to mention anything unique or worthwhile. Thank you.

Where can I find interesting shops in London?

jaffacakerhubarb — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 02:10:11 -0800

I want to visit some interesting shops in London... for Christmas shopping. Today. Help! I tried a few Google searches, but clothing and jewellery shops seem to have the monopoly on 'interesting' shops, and this isn't quite what I'm looking for. Basically, I'm not a big fan of generic presents, so I'd like to get something a bit more off the wall. Cool trinkets, gadgets, that sort of thing... or any sort of thing! Anything really that isn't your typical DVD/CD/book fare.

For what it's worth, I'm shopping for my parents and my younger brother (15). I'm not too fussed about location — all six travelcard zones are my Oyster (pun fully intended), so shoot. Where do you go shopping when you need something a bit different?

The EB Games Employee Manual

Effigy2000 — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:59:22 -0800

I read that there was a 'leaked' copy of the EB Games employee handbook floating around the web a few years back, and it explained in some great detail about how to talk to customers and to push really hard on getting people to pre-order and so on. Despite my best efforts, I can't get Google to show it to me. Does anyone have a link to it (or a saved copy they're able to send me)? Also, as a side question; why do EB Games and similar video game retailers push so hard to try and get you to pre-order stuff? What's in it for them, other than a potential sale once the game is released?

Candle shopping in NY

flashboy — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:00:34 -0800

Somewhere to buy nice candles in Manhattan? I had to miss a good friend's birthday because I'm in New York. She loves candles. I'd like to get her some nice candles as a gift. Where should I be going for the best (reasonably-priced) candle experience Manhattan has to offer?

Question about how ordering services work in department stores or one in particular.

feelinglistless — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:37:36 -0800

Question about how ordering services work in department stores or one in particular. A couple of weeks ago I went into some shops and bought some clothes and also ordered a new jumper from Marks & Spencer’s (I'm in the UK). Always picky, I decided on the one colour, grey, which wasn’t actually in the shop at my size. I was told that the garment would be in the shop between Wednesday and Friday this week unless I heard otherwise. Sure enough at 10:03 am on Wednesday a message was left on our service. It’s still on there and here is a transcript:

“This is a message for (you, meaning me), I’m sorry to tell you we could deliv… Hello, this is a message for (you), this is Marks and Spencer’s, I’m sorry to say we could get your order today, thanks. Bye.”

The gist is there. No jumper. But not much else. I rang them back yesterday. What followed was something of a wake up call for someone like me who doesn't do a lot of clothes buying and assumed that like everything else in the modern world that things had moved on in the clothing retail industry. Here’s what I discovered:

(1) The jumper was indeed not in stock, with none in the warehouse, and no idea when more would be manufactured

(2) That, at least at M&S, an order can’t be kept open on the computer, so that when stock does come in I can be contacted, which means that ..

(3) … basically the order is cancelled and it's up to me the customer to go into the shop again and place a separate new order although ..

(4) … apparently there is a written diary and a reminder can be put in there, but it depends whether someone on the counter quote: ‘remembers to look in it on that day’

(5) That having checked her computer the nearest available jumper is in Leeds

(6) No they can’t transfer it to my local store. If I want it, they can post it out to me at £3.50 postage and packing

(7) There’s also one at the website. When I asked if they could transfer it from their warehouse to here I was told no ‘because we don’t have access to the internet'

(8) I checked the website. That colour isn’t even an option. Though oddly there is photo of a man wearing it. It doesn’t look half as good on him (blink).

I could completely understand if I’d made this phone call in the 80s or 90s – but in 2008? I’m assuming that the reason that this kind of stock transfer doesn’t happen is the expense of shifting a single item between stores and they’d much rather the cost burden was with the customer who wants the damn thing. But I can’t see how this is that different to an inter-library loan in a library, and there you have an extra expense of having to ship the item back its source.

Clearly I don’t know anything about how Marks and Spencer’s supply their stores, but I have to assume that a van takes the stock from a warehouse somewhere to the individual store and then an almost empty van returns to the warehouse for the next load (assuming there isn’t some kind of stock return). That kind of run must happen at least once a week, if not daily.

I’m amazed there isn’t a network in place whereby when a van turns up at a particular shop, customer requests from other stores in the chain are loaded up for the return journey to the warehouse and then loaded onto another van going to the shop it has been ordered from. I know this sounds like the kind of bizarre idea cooked up by a disgruntled customer in the aftermath of a unsatisfying phone call, but I'm genuinely surprised by all this (I'm generally surprised by most things, but still).

So I’m Asking Metafilter, do I have an over extended expectation of how distribution systems work in department stores and this one in particular?

What should I do in Vienna?

howgenerica — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:41:53 -0800

I'm going to be in Vienna from September 26 (early morning) - 29 (afternoon). I'm 18 years old and will be traveling with friends. What should we do/ see? I've been put in charge of figuring all this out, but apart from the obvious tourist things I don't know what's good. I guess I'm looking for more off-the-beaten-path stuff. Thank you! This can be anything: cool museums, restaurants, bars, discos, shops, historic sites, areas to walk around; anything. I'd just really appreciate recommendations from those who've been/ lived there.

Speciality Business Cards

Hands of Manos — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 15:39:57 -0800

Print shops that will do specialty cut business cards on good paper I'm in the process of designing my business cards however I'd like to have the ability to get a special cut or paper. I've been searching all over google for print shops that do this but I'd like some recommendations from the hive mind.

Examples of what I'd like a print shop to do would be like this:
example 1
example 2
example 3

and ESPECIALLY something like this:
example

I have a budget, but I'm willing to drop some cash on some special made biz cards. So please give me your suggestions for print shops that will work with you with stuff like this

Oddly enough, I didn't come to Italy for the churches.

twins named Lugubrious and Salubrious — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 03:23:59 -0800

I just landed in Italy. Help me find the Florence and Rome that no one writes about. My family and I will be staying in Florence and Rome for Christmas and New Year's. History, museums, and churches are great, but more their thing than mine. Where can I find what I'm looking for? I want to see the local street scene: where are Florence and Rome's skate shops, the parks where the people are loitering, the secret places to stumble on tags? Where are the best streetwear stores, and the "best kept secret" boutiques? TIA.

And for those of you who celebrate it: Merry Christmas!

Where can I find PA speakers to check out?

gfrobe — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 03:42:41 -0800

I'm in London UK and need to buy some active PA speakers. I've found lots of shops that sell them but none where I can go in and actually look at and listen to various speakers on display. Can anyone recommend a place?

T-Shirt print shop in London

Wilder — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 04:03:59 -0800

T-Shirt printed while you wait in central London?? My Goggle skills have completely failed me. I know these places exist. I need to either e-mail or phone an order which someone will pick up tomorrow. I just need 2 little boys T-Shirts printed with a short message. Can anyone help?

Keep me out of the hotel!

cowbellemoo — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 21:15:21 -0800

Other than the record and book stores, what's not to miss in Chapel Hill, NC and surrounding parts? I've checked threads here, here, and here, but was wondering if there were more suggestions for my situation. I'll be in the area with my mother for a cousin's wedding, and we'll have most of midday Saturday to kill before hopping into formalwear.

My mother's not much of a walker, so scenic drives and parking-rich shops would be ideal. My mom likes pottery and other arts & crafts, and I'm willing to go anywhere with rich photographic opportunities. We've already grown bored with the colleges on a previous trip. I'm planning to strike out on my own for a half hour around Franklin Street for shops mentioned in the other threads, but what else might interest us?

San Diego visitor tips for Seaworld area, and do we need a car?

LobsterMitten — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 09:30:17 -0800

Visiting San Diego this weekend: do we need a rental car, and is there anything secret and great near Seaworld that we should see? (esp. good coffeeshops for hanging around in?) We'll be going to and from the airport, to a hotel near SeaWorld, to Mission Beach, University of San Diego, and a Padres game. Can we reasonably do all this without a rental car (on buses or by taxi)? If we rent a car, are there any secrets to driving around those areas (eg routes to definitely avoid)? Are there good coffeeshops or book/comic/record stores near where we'll be? Great medium-price restaurants? Other must-sees for bookish types interested in architecture, old stuff, baseball?

Peace

skjønn — Wed, 30 May 2007 15:55:30 -0800

Left-wing/radical/hippie/communist/revolutionary bookstores and places in DC. I'm going to DC with my very conservative family for the next 6 days, however, I'll have opportunity to have an afternoon or two to myself hopefully.

Looking for names and places of left-wing /radical/hippie/communist/revolutionary bookstores in Washington DC I can go to. Ideally pick up a few souveneirs, some books, chat with some like minded folks. I'm espescially interested in black panther books/posters/buttons.

Thanks!

Coffee Shops in Charlottesville, VA.

trbrts — Mon, 07 May 2007 18:21:00 -0800

Looking for a good coffee shop in the Charlottesville, VA. area for working in the evenings... I'm on a extended vacation here at my parents farm outside of Charlottesville, VA. My work is flexible enough to accomodate this long trip, but, I do have work to do. My folks have WiFi but it's a little hard to work around here between my folks and my 16 month old son. I need good coffee, late hours, free WiFi and not a Starbucks. Anyone have any suggestions in C-ville?

Need Body Shop in Los Angeles

goalyeehah — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 19:54:31 -0800

Good recommendations for auto body shops in Los Angeles area? This week I did some damage to the work van I drive. I like to get it repaired on my own and would like to take it in for some estimates. I live in the mid-Wilshire area and want to pay cash for the repair.

Things to do in Chatanooga

Penguin — Sat, 19 Nov 2005 06:48:28 -0800

Will be spending three weeks in Chattanooga. Whats good? Whats interesting? Whats to see? Where to shop? Enjoy thrift shops. Where are the good ones?

Shopkeeping

BrodieShadeTree — Mon, 05 Jan 2004 10:18:58 -0800

Has anyone had experience opening a small shop as a business? What are the pros/cons of such an undertaking? If you have, please share a bit of the highlights and lowlights of the endeavor! (more inside) My spouse and I are considering opening a shop in our town of 50k people. While exploring the idea, we are asking for feedback from anyone with a related experience. Any help is greatly appreciated.